Apparatus for stringing tobacco leaves



Aug. 25, 1953 A. E. PALMER 2,649,977

APPARATUS FOR STRINGING TOBACCO LEAVES Filed April 22, 1948 3Sheets-Sheet 1 (\I an N INVENTOR.

ARTHUR Ej PALMER Aug. 25, 1953 A. E. PALMER APPARATUS FOR STRINGINGTOBACCO LEAVES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1948 A A A A A AAAAAAAMA 5 mm m T N N M A R mL m m m EVU .P u m, R A

Aug. 25, 1953 A. E. PALMER 2,649,977

APPARATUS FOR STRINGING TOBACCO LEAVES Filed April 22, 1948 3Sheets-*Sheet 5 m m ,o 19

co a N w n I 1 w I N A, 10 INVENTOR.

. L lil l ARTHUR E. PALMER Patented Aug. 25, 1953 APPARATUS FORSTRINGING TOBACCO LEAVES Arthur E. Palmer, Hartford, Conn.,. assignor toWurton Machine Company, Philadelphia, Pa.,, a corporation ofPennsylvania Application April 22, 1948, Serial No. 22,596

1 Claim.. 1

This invention relates to an apparatus for stringing tobacco leaves.

As is well known, when tobacco is harvested, the leaves are strung onlengths of string secured at one end to a lath, the free end of thestring is attached to the other end of the lath and the whole thenracked up in a curing barnwith the leaves hanging from the string forthe curing of the tobacco leaves.

When the tobacco has cured, the laths are taken down, the ends of thestring are out free from the lath, the tobacco leaves pushed togetherand the balance of the string wound about the butt portions of theleaves and secured to form hands.

In practice heretofore, the stringing of the pairs of tobacco leaves hasbeen accomplished manually by operators who assemble the leaves andstring them by passing a needle, carried by the string at its free" end,through the butts of the '7 leaves. Such is open to a number ofobjections, chief among which is variation in the number of pairs ofleaves per'lath, unequal spacing of the leaves on the string, widevariation in the number of laths strung per day by different operators,which results in a limited average production, breakage of leaves due toinept operators, loss from falling leaves during curing resultant fromimproper stringing, difliculty in obtaining requisite labor for a shortseasonable occupation and rising labor costs coupled with decreasingproductivity;

As a consequence, there have heretofore been many eiforts made toprovide mechanism and procedure for the mechanical stringing of tobaccoleaves. which would give a constant number of pairsof leaves per lath,equal. spacing of the pairs on. the string and increased productivityper operator'. Such: efforts the main have been directed toward theprovision of mechanisms including a needle and adapted to accomplish thesame type of. stringing which is. accomplished by manual operation.However, the results of such: and other eflorts have failed, for variousreasons, in their purpose and the: procedure. involving manual stringingof the tobacco leaves. has been continued despite its several wellrecognized disadvantages.

Now in accordance. with this invention, a mechanism for the stringingof" tobacco leaves is provided which is at once economical and efiicientin operation, in that uniform spacing and number of leaves.- per lathis. readily obtainable, the leaves are securely held by the. string,with mini- 2 mization of falling leaves, and. the productivity of theoperator is increased.

Generally speaking, the method according to this invention comprises thesecuring of leaves of tobacco at spaced intervals between a pair ofstrings, ends of which are secured together to an end of a lath, bysuccessively twisting the strings together, or twisting one string aboutthe other between tobacco leaves, the butts of which are successivelypresented between the strings. More particularly the strings are soarranged and manipulated that portions thereof will extend apart at.rest in the form of a V for a period between each successive twistingoperation, allowing the insertion between the strings of the butts oftobacco leaves and their engagement between the strings at the apex ofthe V form. The successive twistings of the strings secures the leavesthereto. It is to be noted that the strings are held under tension andwhen twisted tightly grip the butts of" the leaves.

The apparatus according to this invention, generally speaking, willcomprise intermittent rotary string carrying means for effectingtwisting of the strings and causing the strings to be at rest for aperiod between twists in V form extension for the insertion andtemporary holding of the butt portions of tobacco leaves.

In greater detail the apparatus will include lath carrying means soarranged as to permit changing Iaths without stopping the apparatus.

Having now indicated, in a general way, the nature and purpose of thisinvention, I will proceed, with reference to the accompanying drawings,to a. detailed description of a form of apparatus according to thisinvention and the operation thereof, from all of which the methodaccording to. this invention will be made apparent.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a tobacco leaf stringing machine embodyingthis invention.

Figure 2 is a side view, partly in section, of intermittent drive meansincluded in the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side view of string carrying means included in the machineshown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a rear View, partly in section, of the subject of Figure 3.

Figure 5' is a top view of the subject of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a plan view showing a series of strung leaves andillustrating the stringing operation.

In the several views variously, I indicates a frame structure by whichthe various elements comprising the machine are supported.-

Mounted on the frame I is a shaft 2 upon which is mounted a pulley 3adapted to be driven by a motor I through a belt 5. The motor 4 isprovided with a stepped pulley 6 to enable the speed of the pulley 3 tobe varied. The pulley 3 is connected to the shaft 2 by means of a coilspring I, one end of which is connected to a collar 8 secured to theshaft by a pin 9 and the other end of which is secured to a collar I6secured to the face of pulley 3. Mounted on the hub of pulley 3 is a camII and a sprocket I2, while a disc I3 is mounted on the end of shaft 2.

Mounted on the rear face of disc I3 are a pair of spool holders arranged180 apart and each comprising a bracket I4 and a spindle I adapted toreceive lengths, for example, a spool, of string I6. The disc I3 isprovided with holes II, arranged 180 apart and 90 from the spindle I5,for the passage of string from the spools I5, guides I8 being providedfor the string I5 from the spools. Adjacent to the holes I! areadjustable spring tension devices I9.

A brake 26, carried by a lever 2I pivoted to frame I at 25 is normallyheld adjacent to, but clear of, the edge of disc I3 by means of anadjustable spring 22. The cam II acts on a rod 23 having a slot and pinconnection 24 with frame I and having its lower end in contact withlever 2I to effect engagement of the brake 20 with the edge of disc I3against the action of spring 22, as shown in Figure 1.

The cam I I is set with respect to the spools of cord I6 on disc I3 sothat the brake will be applied in each revolution of disc I3 (to stopthe disc for a period) when the disc I3 is in such position that thecords I6 will extend therefrom in substantially a horizontal plane, as,for example, shown in Figure 5.

The sprocket I2 on the hub of pulley 3 is connected by means of a chain26 to a sprocket 21 on a shaft 28, mounted on the frame I. The shaft 28carries at its end a pinion 29 in mesh with a gear 39 on a transverseshaft 3|, which also carries a pulley 32 connected to a pulley 33 on ashaft 34 by a belt 35. The shaft 34 carries a sprocket 36 connected witha sprocket 31 on a shaft 38 by a chain 39. The chain 39 carries a pairof hooks 46 secured to the chain in spaced relation.

For the operation of the machine described above, the chain 39 isadjusted so that one of the hooks II] will be just forward of thesprocket 36. Strings I6 from the lengths or spools on disc I3 are thendrawn out, through holes I! on disc I3, under tension and secured to theend of a lath A, as by wrapping their ends together about the endportion of the lath and passing through a slot in the end of the lath.The strings are then hung over the hook 46. Two piles of tobacco leavesB, the leaves of the piles extending in opposite directions with thebutts adjacent, are placed upon a suitable support, as a table AI, inposition adjacent to the disc I3, as shown, for example, in Figure 1.

The motor 4 is now started. As will be appreciated from the abovedescription, while the motor acts to drive pulley 3 continuously andlikewise, through chain 26, shaft 28, gearing 2930 and belt 35, to drivethe chain 39 continuously, it operates to drive shaft 2 and disc I3through spring I. During a part of each revolution of the pulley 3, thecam II will, through engagement with rod 23, apply the brake 2!! to theedge of disc I3 holding it against turning andpermitting the continuedrevolution of the pulley to tension spring I. When spring I has beentensioned, the brake 20 will be released by the passing of the cam IIaway from rod 23 and the spring I will then act to rapidly rotate discI3 through one revolution. Thus, in each revolution of the pulley 3 thedisc I3 will be held from turning for a period, the spring I will beplaced under tension and disc I3 will then be revolved by spring I, thustwice reversing the position of the spools and effecting a twisting ofthe strings I6.

The parts, including the spring I, the cam II and the brake 20, will beso timed that in each revolution of disc I3 it will be stopped and thedisc will be held from turning by the brake 20 with the strings I6 insubstantially a horizontal plane, as shown, for example, in Figure 5, inwhich position the strings will remain until spring I is tensioned,then, with the release of brake 20, the disc I3 will be rapidly rotatedby the spring I to effect a twisting of the strings I6, after which itwill be again stopped by brake 26 and the action repeated.

With the machine in operation, the operator grasps a tobacco leaf fromeach of the piles on the table 4|, and placing their butts together,inserts the butts between the strings I6, when the strings are at restin a substantially horizontal position, on the stopping of the disc I3by the brake 20. The butts of the pair of leaves are inserted by theoperator between the strings I6 with an upward movement and then movedlaterally into the V formed by the convergence of the strings to theirpoint of last twisting. The strings being under tension, when the buttsof the pair of leaves have been moved into the V formed by theconvergence of the strings, they will be temporarily held until, on therelease of brake 2D, the strings are twisted by the rotation of the discunder the influence of spring I.

The successive twists of the strings I6, which, it will be noted, areunder tension, will securely hold the successive pairs of leaves. Theinsertion of the pairs of leaves between the strings I6, their movementinto the V at the point of convergence of the strings for theirtemporary holding and the securing of the pairs by twisting of thestrings is illustrated by Figure 6.

Pairs of leaves are successively inserted between the strings I6 as thedisc is successively stopped and held by the brake 20 after successivetwisting of the strings in each revolution of disc 20 until the propernumber of pairs of leaves, usually 20 pairs, desired to be strung on alath, have been strung.

When the requisite number of pairs of leaves has been secured by thetwisting of the strings, the operator grasps the strings I6 beyond thelast pair of leaves and, drawing some slack, severs the strings by anyconvenient means, as, for example, a fixed blade conveniently located,and while maintaining tension on the strings about the pairs of leaves,secures the severed ends of the strings to the free end of the lath A,as by winding around the end portion of the lath and passing through aslot in the end. The lath with its strung leaves is then removed fromthe hook 40 and racked up in the usual manner for curing the leaves. Theends of the strings extending from the disc are then secured to a freshlath, which is laid over the succeeding hook 40 on chain 39 and theprocedure of stringing as described above repeated, the strung lathsbeing removed and freshlaths being applied successively until thetobacco leaves to be strung are exhausted.

It will be appreciated that the operation of the machine will becontinuous. the hooks 40 being so placed and the machine being operatedat such a rate of speed as to permit the removal of strung laths and theapplication of fresh laths. It will be noted that in each revolution ofthe disc [3, the disc will be at rest for a period with the strings ISin substantially a horizontal plane, during such period in eachrevolution the butts of a pair of tobacco leaves will be insertedbetween the strings and the pairs so inserted successively will besecured by the twisting of the strings in the rotation of disc [3 underthe influence of spring I.

When the tobacco strung as described above has been cured, the pairs ofcured leaves may be readily removed from the lath by laying the lath andleaves fiat on a table, severing the strings from the lath, and alsodesirably at intervals between their ends, bringing the leaves togetherand securing them in a bunch by winding the strings about their butts,it being noted that when the strings are severed the leaves may beeasily brought together, since the strings being then slack, the twistswill not form any obstruction. If desired, after the strings are severedone of the strings may be pulled out and the remaining string used tobind the leaves into a bunch.

In the above description of apparatus and procedure reference is made tothe stringing of tobacco leaves in pairs. However, it will be understoodthat such is intended to be illustrative and not limiting, it beingapparent that single leaves, or groups, or bunches comprising more thantwo leaves may be strung as may be desired.

It will be appreciated that the specific apparatus described above as anillustrative embodiment of this invention from the apparatus standpointand the description of the procedure for stringing tobacco leavesaccording to this invention from the method standpoint, may be varied indetail without departing from the scope of this invention as defined inthe appended claim.

The method disclosed has not been claimed herein, since such forms thesubject-matter of an application filed by me as a division hereof,Serial No. 186,890, filed September 26, 1950.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

Apparatus for stringing tobacco leaves comprising a shaft, drive meansadapted to rotate continuously in one direction, a pair of spaced spoolseach carrying a length of string, a support secured to said shaft andcarrying said spools, a coil spring secured at one end to said shaft andhaving its other end connected to said drive means, a, brake operable onsaid support, cam means carried by said shaft for operating the brake,said cam means being arranged to eifect operation of said brake means tostop said support at 360 intervals in the revolution of said shaft andto release said brake means when the coil spring has been substantiallytensioned, means for advancing the free ends of said strings away fromsaid support and frictional means on said support engaging said stringsto resist said advancing of the strings.

ARTHUR E. PALMER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 413,393 Farmer Oct. 22, 1889 454,097 Warren June 16, 18911,039,876 Wolkow Oct. 1, 1912 1,518,095 Millis Dec. 2, 1924 1,751,487McIntyre Mar. 25, 1930 1,984,538 Mongey Dec. 18, 1934 2,131,656 DinkinsSept. 27, 1938 2,538,698 McNeill Jan. 16, 1951 2,571,003 Anderson Oct.9, 1951

